Because Harry's fond of Malfoy's white peacocks and Gardens
by Mansi jain
Summary: Five year old Harry Potter wants to see white peacocks and gardens of the Malfoy Manor and Sirius can't say no to him and nor can Lucius, not when he requests politely with huge and adorable eyes. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

_**Because Harry's fond of Malfoy's white peacocks and Gardens**_

 _ **Chapter-1**_

"Can I ask you a personal question Mr. Black-Snape?" Asks Skeeter. Sirius sighs. Skeeter's personal questions are usually very personal but Lucius requested him to do this. He wants people to know that he'll no longer fight for the dark lord. He doesn't want anyone to punish Draco for his decisions.

So, Sirius sighs, "Yes."

"From what I know, your friends and you used to despise Lucius Malfoy at Hogwarts because he was a death eater. Would you like to tell our readers why Mr. Malfoy decided to forsake you-know-who's cause?"

Sirius grins. Skeeter frowns and Sirius smiles some more. He would never forget that day, that day when his little godson turned Lucius's life upside down the man became a prey to Harry's doe-eyed looks.

"Ah! Yes. I would certainly like to share the tale with everyone. This happened a month ago. It was a Sunday morning...

Harry was never like normal kids. But then Sirius had never expected that, not with James as his father and Lily as his mother. James had always been a master manipulator. He could charm the pants off anyone. Lily had always been very righteous, what with the way she always stood up for Severus when they teased him. Harry turned out to be a very naughty yet a very adorable and decent five year old baby.

Around three and a half years have passed since James and Lily died and Harry became the boy-who-lived. When Sirius had seen James's dead body, he had realized that Peter had betrayed them. He had gone inside Harry's room to check if Lily was still alive only to find her dead body sprawled on the floor. He had been so enraged at that moment that he had decided to find Peter and kill him.

But, then Harry's soft sobs had reached his ears and the fact that his godson was still alive had registered in his mind. He had turned his eyes towards the crib in which Harry was standing with his hands on the bars. He was crying and his huge green eyes were staring at him. Sirius had stood up and gone to his godson. It was like the child was calling him although he could only cry and stare at him at that time.

Sirius had levitated James's body and placed it near Lily's and had sat beside the corpses with Harry in his arms. Severus had come few moments later and together they had buried Harry's parents and raised Harry. Remus had disappeared soon after the funeral. He had said that he couldn't look at Harry and not remember James and Lily.

After all these years, Remus has still not returned.

"Uncle Siiiirius." His five year old godson's soft voice brings him back from his musings and he blinks his damp eyes. Intelligent and adorable green eyes are looking at him. His lower lip is sticking out in a pout and his hands are joined in front of him.

"Yes, Harry." Sirius says, already knowing what the child wants.

"I want to visit the Mawfoys." Harry's the picture of innocence with his doe-eyed look and polite voice.

"Ma-l-foys." Sirius says. Harry still makes the error sometimes and Malfoy would be offended if Harry were to make this error in front of the blonde. Not that Sirius's going to take Harry to visit the manor.

"But you don't even like their son. Why do you want to visit?" Sirius asks politely. He knows that Severus's hidden somewhere. He doesn't want to deal with an adorable Harry Potter wanting to visit the manor of the right-hand man of Voldemort.

Harry's tongue peaks out of his lips and his eyes become huge for a moment as if he's just realizing the loop-hole in his plan.

"I do like him." He says quietly.

"You said something else the other day when you came back from the zoo." Sirius murmurs. Harry and Severus had fallen upon Malfoy and his son and Harry taken an instant dislike to the small boy. Again, he hadn't yelled and thrown a fit like a normal child. No. He had only told Sirius that he hated Draco and he would never talk to him again and that he would never be his friend because Draco wouldn't show his broom to him and because Draco made fun of his hair.

He had gone on and on for an hour after returning from the zoo and then again before sleeping. For someone who hated Draco Malfoy and didn't want to be his friend, Harry surely talked a lot about him. But Sirius hadn't complained, not even once. He had nodded and Ohed and Aahed at the right places.

The green eyed child becomes silent at Sirius's argument. It's very interesting to watch Harry think about another excuse. His eyes narrow in intense concentration for just a moment before he focuses back on Sirius.

"I like their white peacocks and gardens. Pwease. Pretty pwease, uncle Sirius."

Sirius considers denying. Malfoy won't take kindly to the intrusion. But Harry's eyes become really huge and his lower lip trembles and Sirius realizes that he simply can't deny his godson. Severus would glare at him if he were but he isn't because he can't resist giving in to Harry's request.

"Lucius'll never agree. He could even hurt Harry." Severus some out of nowhere. Sirius turns around and glares at the man who's avoiding Harry's adorable eyes. It's quite obvious that Severus was only waiting for Sirius to deny his godson so that he himself won't have to do it.

"No-one can hurt Harry." Sirius says.

"I won't have you imprisoned for-"

Sirius rolls his eyes before interrupting his husband of two years, "I'm not talking about maiming your old friend. I don't think he would hurt a child for wanting to visit his peacocks and gardens. I should have known this would happen. Harry saw those moving pictures in the daily Prophet."

"Will we go, uncle Severus?" Asks little Harry and this time his wraps his little fingers around Severus's. Severus's staring resolutely at Sirius. He loves the little boy and Sirius loves Severus for his forgiveness. Harry looks a lot like James whom Severus had despised with a passion.

"Are you mad at me, uncle Severus? I read that book you gave to me." Harry asks, his face tilted up and his small hand still wrapped around Severus's larger one.

Sirius knows what's about to happen. Yet when it does happen, Sirius can't help but smile.

Severus's dark eyes widen in alarm before they meet Sirius's and then the man kneels in front of a five year old Harry Potter.

"No, I'm not mad at you. You're such a good boy. I could never be angry at you."

This scene never fails to astound Sirius. That James's five year old child would bring a proud man like Severus to his knees is as surprising as it was when Harry had turned three and Severus had asked for the boy's permission for marrying Sirius.

Harry with his red cheeks and sparkling green eyes and polite voice has this stern man wrapped around his little finger.

"I want to see Maw-no- Ma-l-foy's white peacocks and gardens. Please take me there." Harry requests Severus very politely but then the boy's always very polite and calm and composed.

Of course, Severus nods just a second later before murmuring, "Of course, I'll take you. Of course."

Sirius shakes his head at his husband and little godson who wraps his small arms around Severus's neck. Severus looks extremely uncomfortable but Sirius smiles at him and so he wraps his arms back around Harry.

Sirius blinks a few times to bring himself back to the present.

"I think you should ask Lucius about the rest of the tale. He's the right person." Sirius mutters and presses his lips together to suppress his grin. He'll never forget that day.

Skeeter's smiling widely. The woman's fond of Harry. Actually, everyone is fond of Harry, everyone except Draco Malfoy of course. The small boy loses no opportunity to tease Harry. It's absolutely hilarious, particularly when Lucius brings his son over, stating that Draco interrupted his meeting to rant about Harry.

"Shall we go right now?" Skeeter asks politely.

"Ah! He must be busy right now but I think that he'll make an exception for me." Sirius says and they apparate in front of the Malfoy manor.

* * *

Lucius stares at the two five year olds playing in his garden. That the dark lord could come back and destroy this terrifies him. That he could turn Lucius and Narcissa into his puppets and hurt Draco and Harry makes him tremble although he doesn't allow anyone to witness it, anyone except his oldest friend Severus and new friend Sirius of course. Lucius would like to claim that he's allowing Potter's brat inside his manor because it'll eventually help him. He would also like to say that he hates enigmatic little Harry Potter but it would be a white lie.

With her mothers charming and quiet personality and father's charisma, this child is perfect. He can't help but feel that Draco and Harry will be safe as long as they have each other.

"Will you like your readers to know, Mr. Malfoy?" Asks Skeeter.

"Yes." He says, not just because his son'll benefit from this but because he really wants everyone to know how wonderful and intelligent this child is. It's difficult to decide whether he would land in Gryffindor or in Slytherin.

"This happened a month back, as I am sure Sirius has told you...

Lucius sighs. He really needs to read these files and Draco won't stop ranting about Harry Potter. They had been together for just five minutes. As much as Draco's denying it, Lucius knows that his son wants to befriend Potter's brat. Surely, he doesn't expect Lucius to ask the child on his behalf. That's something Draco would have to do himself.

"Draco-" Lucius starts when his son stops because he would pause only for a moment before starting again. He's playing with blocks and when the doorbell rings, he stands up. Draco's a very active child and so of course, he runs to open the door. Lucius follows his son, shaking his head at the child's antics.

It's Sunday and Lucius deserves a holiday and one child is quite enough, thank you very much so when he opens the door and finds Severus and Black standing in front of him with blank faces and little Harry's green eyes peaking at him from behind Severus's legs, he sighs.

"Father, what's Potter doing here?" Asks Draco, his lips curled in a pout.

"Mr. Mawfoy, I want to see your white peacocks and gardens." Little Harry says with a small pout of his own.

Lucius opens his mouth to deny the request because they don't allow anyone except Draco in the gardens. But then the green-eyed child steps away from Severus and stands in front of him. Lucius stares at him, expecting him to throw a fit like his son does. But the child only stands in front of Lucius with his hands joined in front of his legs and his eyes huge and very very green.

Severus and Black are quiet and even Draco's quiet. He's only staring at Harry. Lucius wants to ask his son about his supposed hatred for 'stupid Potter' and 'stupid Potter's stupid green eyes'.

 _How can someone be so adorable?_ Lucius wonders, appalled to realize that he can't refuse this child.

"Pwease, Mr. Maw- no - Mr. Ma-l-foy. Pretty pwease." Requests Harry and then Draco turns to look at him and makes a very politely worded request, "I would ensure that he doesn't hurt the peacocks, father. Can I take him? Father plllleasssee."

"Mr. Malfoy pw- no - p-llleeeaaasse."

He looks up to find Black and Severus snickering at him.

Lucius blinks a couple of times to ensure that this isn't a dream. When he's sure, he looks at the pouting faces of the two five year olds and nods, "Yes. Yes. Go ahead."

"Mr. Malfoy- Mr. Malfoy." Lucius blinks hard and shakes his head to focus on present and looks at the woman.

"Yes." Says Lucius.

Skeeter stares at him, her eyes wide with disbelief before whispering, "So you're saying that you deflected from you-know-who's cause because little Harry Potter is fond of the white peacocks and gardens of the Malfoy manor?"

Sirius bursts out laughing at the words and Lucius smiles while watching the two kids play with the peacocks before answering, "Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying."

* * *

Please leave a review. How was this.


	2. Chapter 2 Aunt Petunia and Harry

**_Chapter-2_**

 ** _Aunt Petunia and Harry_**

"Uncle Severus."

Severus stares at the five year old boy in surprise. He had always scoffed at parents who melted at the sight of their crying or smiling children and had vowed to never succumb to their huge eyes and adorable pouts. However, he really finds himself empathizing with all those parents as Harry stares at him, settled on his lap and dangling his legs in the air.

"No, Harry, we're not going to visit her." He says sternly. Sirius snickers at him. Severus glares at his husband. Atleast Severus's trying to be stern. If there's anyone Severus has hated more than James Potter, it's Petunia. After Lily's demise, he literally lived in terror that that woman would snatch the child away from him. Sirius's repeated assurances that he's Harry's godfather and that no-one can take Harry's custody from him did nothing to ease his mind.

He hadn't thought that he would get attached to this little child and he hadn't wanted to get attached. He can't afford it. Of course, fate had something else in store for him. Severus will never understand why Harry's not afraid of him. Weasley's children tremble and hide whenever they come across Severus. Only Draco isn't afraid of him and that's because Draco's not afraid of anyone.

"But-" Harry starts and Severus shakes his head before saying, "No."

Severus knows what's going to happen a second before it does. Harry's eyes become huge and sparkle. Yes they sparkle and he sticks his lower lip out and then crosses his arms before saying, "But mom wrote me a letter. I showed it to you. She wants me to give all those things to her and she wants me to give that toy wand to Dudley."

Severus sighs and closes his eyes.

"Uncle Severus." Says Harry in a small voice. Severus doesn't open his eyes and Harry wraps his fingers around Severus's forearm right over the dark mark and Severus knows what he's going to ask him.

"Are you angry with me?"

Severus doesn't know why he asks this question time and again when he knows very well that Severus does not get angry with him.

"Uncle Severus." His quiet and small voice compels Severus to finally look at him. Sirius is looking worriedly at him.

"I'll not let her take me away from you." Harry says very abruptly. His cheeks turn red subsequently and he lowers his head to stare at his hands, "I heard you talking to uncle Sirius. I'm sorry."

Severus takes a deep breath and starts, "We can just owl the things to her. Why do you want to visit?"

"Mom asked me to visit her." He answers before continuing in a soft voice, "Pweeeaaase. I'll eat all the vegetabws and I'll drink milk also. I'll be a good boy."

"You're always a very good boy, Harry." Severus mutters honestly and the child's lips stretch in a wide smile.

"We'll go, then." He asks.

Severus sighs and replies, "Only if Lucius, Narcissa and Draco come along with us."

Harry squeals excitedly before wrapping his small arms around Severus's neck and kissing his cheeks.

"Thank you, father."

Severus stares at the child. Harry does this sometimes. He calls him 'father' and Sirius 'dad' and never ceases to amaze him. How did he end up as a father of Potter's five year old, naughty, adorable and intelligent son. Being a father or having a family was never in the cards for him.

Will wonders never cease?

* * *

Petunia has always been proud of being normal and she loves having a normal family.

"You're missing her." Says Vernon, gazing at her as she looks at the sky. It's clear and beautiful today. Maybe they should go out.

"Of course not." Petunia answers him because she's not missing her freak of a sister. She's not missing her little tricks and she's not missing the pizza that Lily baked for her and she's most certainly not missing her smile.

"You are." Vernon insists.

Petunia smiles at him. Vernon frowns because she ends up grimacing instead.

"They had a son, didn't they?" Asks Vernon. Petunia looks away. Lily's son has her eyes and she doesn't want to look at him. She doesn't want to meet him, not because she would miss her freak of a sister even more but because that Lily's son is a freak too. She hates freaks.

"The other day, Dudley told me that he turned a frog into a flower. He-"

"Our son isn't a freak." Petunia insists firmly. Being a freak was what took her sister's death and he won't lose her Dudley too.

"Petunia, just-"

"No!" She snaps at him and glares coldly at nothing in particular.

"It's been three and a half years since she passed away. You've to move on." Vernon says quietly.

"I don't miss her. She chose her freakishness over me and it killed her and I-" Her voice breaks at the end and so she shuts up. She doesn't miss Lily. Lily was a freak and one of those freaks took her death.

They were happy until Snape appeared out of thin air and told Lily about that freak school.

"Petunia, look at me."

"No. Just leave me alone." Petunia whispers.

"You need closure. You need to visit her grave and you need to visit her son. You're his mother's only sister." Vernon says, "And- and Dudley is one of them. I saw him doing it. We can't lie to him about what he is. He's terrified of you."

Petunia doesn't answer but then the door bell rings and she doesn't need to.

Vernon sighs and stands up to open the door. Petunia doesn't look at him. She keeps on staring at the sky. When they were small, they used to climb trees and sit on the branches and play together and then Lily realized that she was a witch and Petunia wasn't and everything changed.

Initially, it was hard to accept it, particularly when Lily left her to go to that school. With time, Petunia learned to accept it but it was too late to apologize. So Petunia stayed away and then she married Vernon who convinced her to talk to her little sister. He promised that Lily would forgive her and then- and then you-know-who killed her and Petunia lost the chance.

Snape thinks that it's because of her jealousy that she stayed away from Lily and maybe it was in the starting but she learned to live with it and at the end, she only wanted to reconcile with her sister. She was only afraid that Lily would never talk to her or forgive her and it's just that-

Petunia clenches her hands into tight fists.

 _It's just that now Lily would never know that_ \- Petunia closes her eyes and doesn't let herself finish the sentence. There are some things she can't accept yet.

"Aunt Petunia."

Petunia freezes when a small voice reaches her ears.

"Harry, wait." It's Snape who says these words. The softness in his voice leaves Petunia stunned.

Slowly, she turns around and gasps.

A little boy, dressed in simple trousers, shirt and robes is staring at her with Lily's eyes.

"What's he doing here?" She asks Vernon who is looking quietly at her.

Vernon doesn't say anything. Petunia looks back at the child.

"Go away. You're a freak like your mother. Go away!" She hisses. Of course Snape comes to the child rescue. His eyes flash and he takes a step towards her.

But the child simply looks at the man and shakes his head, "Mom told me that she would say something like this. It's okay, uncle Severus. She's hurting."

Petunia freezes and her jaw drops as she stares at the little child who's once again looking at her with those huge and adorable eyes of his and he's just as cute as Lily was when she was tiny.

Petunia starts taking deep breaths and her eyes become damp.

Petunia was five years older than Lily. Lily wasn't supposed to die before her. Petunia was supposed to beg for her forgiveness and Lily was supposed to be difficult before finally forgiving her and then they were supposed to celebrate the rest of their Christmases together. Petunia was supposed to give Lily, all the gifts that she had purchased for her and never given. She wasn't supposed to die so young.

Petunia could never tell her exactly how much she loved her. Vernon had literally begged her to go and she was too late. What if she had visited her earlier. What if Lily had Petunia's help and support too. Would she be alive right now?

God! She loved Lily so much. She shared all her things with Lily and had been too possessive of her. Why had she wasted so much time in fighting uselessly?

Petunia's eyes flicker towards Snape who is staring at her with stunned eyes. Belatedly, Petunia realizes that she's crying. Tears are falling from her eyes. She hasn't cried even once since she saw Lily's dead body.

She sniffs and wipes her eyes but tears keep on falling relentlessly down her cheeks and all the while Lily's son's green eyes stare at her just like Lily used to do when Petunia cried.

The child turns to look at Snape and says, "I tow -uh- to-l-d you, uncle Severus." and then, "Pwease give me that letter and the bag."

 _God! I called her a freak. The last time I talked to her before she died- I called her a freak. I could never apologize. I was supposed to be the elder sister. I was supposed to accept that fate gave her a gift that I didn't get. It was fine. Why didn't I apologize?_

Her knees feel weak and she stumbles on the floor, watching young Harry walk towards her with a letter and a small bag.

The small boy sits in front of her. Petunia's eyes flicker towards the blank faces of a blonde family standing behind Snape. They must be the Malfoys Lily ranted so much about.

"Mom wrote that she woved you. She weft a wetter for me and asked me to give these things to you. She weft a wetter for you too." Petunia looks at Lily's son and sobs. Her tears just won't stop.

"The bag has a wand. She said in the wetter that cousin Dudwey is a wizard." Says the child before taking out a toy wand from the bag.

Petunia nods. She won't treat Harry or Dudley like she treated Lily. But it won't bring her sister back. It won't.

"Mom wrote that she forgave you." His eyes are really huge- larger then Lily's and much more beautiful.

Petunia opens her mouth to say something but nothing escapes from it. A sob wracks her frame when she realizes that this child will never meet his mother. Petunia was supposed to protect Lily like she had promised she will.

"Can I pway with cousin Dudwey. I brought my toy wand too. We can practice together. Uncle Severus and uncle Sirius taught me."

Petunia nods and the child smiles before getting up and kissing her cheeks.

"Where's he?" He says. Petunia finds herself at a loss of words. She stares speechlessly at little Harry Potter.

"Ah! He's in his room. First room on the first floor. You can take your friend with you." Vernon answers on her behalf and Harry runs out of the room. The other child follows him.

"I'll get some tea and snacks for everyone. Let's sit in the living room."

Vernon looks relieved as he says these words. The Malfoys follow him while Snape stares quietly at her.

There's no love lost between them. Petunia hated Snape for taking her sister away from her. A part of her will always hate this man.

"She did love you." Says Snape, his eyes kind for once, "She forgave you. Harry is right. She told me."

Petunia hiccups and nods.

"Than- thank you." She whispers, "I loved her too. I miss her."

Finally- finally Petunia accepts it and all because of Lily's son.

"You're the only connection he has with Lily." Snape mutters, "We're doing our best but you know the most about his mother. Maybe you could talk to him- of course, after you are done with grieving."

Petunia replies, "I'll talk to him. I could never apologize. I was very sorry for what I said to-"

Petunia sniffs before continuing, "-to her."

Snape nods and leaves the room.

Petunia rests her head on the wall and closes her eyes. It's time to say goodbye to her little sister now. Maybe she can do for Harry what she couldn't do for his mother.

* * *

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